Amalfi Coast – Positano

Positano is an enchanted city! It is our favorite place to be. Positano is a made of two coves (now beaches): Spiaggia Grande (big beach) and Spiaggia del Fornillo. From these two beaches the mountain rises steeply and rapidly. As you look upon this place, you wonder how could anyone have built anything here. They did! Not only did they build, they built and entire city.

Positano is served by The Amalfi Coast Highway. This is the only access to this city. It enters the city on the west side high up in the cliffs. It winds down to almost the sea on the east side before continuing its journey to Amalfi and beyond. Off of this highway is one and only one road, viale Pasitea. There are small dead-end streets off of this but it is really the only road in this cliff side town. It is a one way road that starts from the Amalfi Coast Highway in the west and winds down a steep curvy road to rejoin the Amalfi Coast Highway in the east.

The center of the town is near the eastern edge of the above road. There is a wonderful cathedral, many stores and an abundance of good restaurants. Some of the restaurants are right on the beach. To get here you have to leave the Viale Pasitea road and journey down stairs. This is not a town for the handicapped. Many hotels are off of the road and require stairs to get to them. It is said that Positano has one road and one million steps. From the Amalfi Coast Highway in the west there are more than 500 steps down to the beach. There are communities and houses higher up the mountain that are one thousand steps from the beach.

From the Spiaggia Grande to the Spiaggia del Fornillo you take a small pedestrian walkway. There are a few steps on the Spiaggia Grande side but the walkway itself has no steps. If you are above the town, take the road up and down to the center of town. It is easier than the steps. There is also a bus that loops up the Amalfi Coast Highway from the town to the Viale Pasitea and then back down to the town. You can get on/off mostly anywhere along its route. The fare when we were there was about one euro.

Positano is a romantic city with wonderful views, beaches, great restaurants and great shopping. Ceramics are made in this area and can be bought in town. From Spiaggia Grande you can board several ferry lines to Capri, Sorrento, Naples, Amalfi and Salerno. Enjoy this wonderful town. If you are going to Positano, first read a great book called Finding Positano by William James. It is fiction but the places described in Positano are real.